Infant&#39;s bath-tub.



H. F. TATE.

INFANTS BATH TUB.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 5,1913,

Attorneys Patented Feb. 10, 1914 HARRY F. TATE, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA.

INFANTS BATH-TUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 5, 1913.

Patented Feb. 10, 1914-. Serial No. 777,563.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY F. TATE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana, haveinvented a new and useful Infants Bath-Tub, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention appertains generally to bath tubs, and relatesmore particularly to an infants bath tub.

It is the object of the present invention to provide novel and improvedmeans for supporting an infants bath tub in the ordinary or standardadult tub, in order that the mother or attendant may conveniently bathethe child or infant.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an infants bathtub which shall be portable in its nature, and which shall be providedwith adjustable brackets or hangers whereby the device may be applied tovarious sizes or proportions of standard tubs.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means wherebythe infants tub may be supported laterally or cross wise of the standardtub, and suiliciently above the rim of the standard tub, in order thatthe infants tub is readily accessible.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a deviceof the nature indicated, which shall be comparatively simple, durable,substantial and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient,serviceable and eflicient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the present inventionresides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the detailsof construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understoodthat changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosedcan be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of theimproved infants bath tub. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the infants bathtub as applied to a standard adult tub, a portion of the infants bathtub being broken away, and the standard tub being shown in crosssection.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail. Fig. 4: is a fragmental detail of thebracket or hanger.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an infants bath tub 1,preferably constructed of sheet metal, and embodying the bottom 2, flatinclined sides 3 and flat inclined ends 4. The tub 1 is rectangular, andof suitable proportions for infants. It is essential that the tub be ofrectangular outline, and that the end walls be inclined, for the reasonthat the peculiar configura tion of the tub will best adapt it forapplication to a standard tub, the flat inclined end walls being adaptedto cooperate with the inclined sides of a standard tub, and the flatside walls of the tub 1 being adapted to accommodate the hangershereinafter described, in order that the tub 1 may be properly andeffectively supported from the rim of a standard tub. The tub 1 need notbe fashioned from sheet metal, but may be in the form of a casting, aslong as the tub possesses sufficient inherent rigidity for resisting thestrains to which it may be subjected. The ends 4: are preferablyextended upward, as at 5, above the sides 8, which will prevent thewater within the tub 1, from splashing over the ends. The upper edges ofthe sides and ends are preferably beaded, for the purpose of strengthand protection. The tub l is preferably enameled or otherwise finishedfor reasons which will be manifest.

The bottom 2 of the tub is provided with the drain opening 6 at one ofthe rear corners, and a suitable stopper or plug 7 is adapted to beengaged downwardly within the opening 6 to normally close the same. Achain or flexible element 8 is attached to the bottom of the stopper 7,in order that it may be disposed on the exterior of the tub, instead ofthe interior, the other end of the chain 8 being attached to therespective side 3 of the tub. Thus, the chain 8 will be on the exterior,and will not interfere with the infant, and furthermore, the plug 7being disposed at the rear end of the tub, will be out of reach of theinfant, in order that the infant may not accidentally remove the stopperor plug 7, so as to discharge the water or contents of the tub. When thestopper 7 is removed from the opening 6, it will be observed that thechain 8 is adapted to pass upwardly through the opening 6, and willprevent the stopper from being lost or mislaid and the chain 8 will alsoassist in pulling the stopper into the opening 6, the chain being out ofthe infants reach, and not being liable to catch the wash cloth, asmight be the case if the chain were disposed upon the interior of thetub.

An adjustable bracket or hanger 9 is provided for each end of the tub,each of the hangers being bent from a rod 10, or other suitable stock.The rod 10 has its end portions bent angularly to provide the arms 11,the intermediate portion of the rod forming a yoke 12 connecting theouter ends of the arms 11. It will thus be observed that each of thehangers is of U-shape to surround the respective end of the tub 1. Theouter ends of the arms 11 are bent downwardly slightly, as at 13, inorder that the yoke 12 will hang slightly below the plane of the arms11, the curved portions 13 being covered by resilient tubular facings14:, preferably of rubber hose or the like. The remaining portions ofthe arms 11 are straight. The arms 11 of the hangers are slidablyengaged to the sides of the tub, the yokes 12 extending across the endsof the tub. In order to slidably engage the arms 11 to the sides of thetub, keepers 15 are secured to the sides of the tub adjoining the ends.Each of the keepers 15 embodies a sheet metal plate 16 having its edgesriveted to the sides of the tub, and provided with a longitudinalout-struck corrugation 17 to receive the straight portion of therespective arm 11. It is to be understood, however, that the keepers maybe fashioned in any equivalent manner. The inner ends of the arms 11 ofthe hangers are slid inwardly through the respective keepers 15, inorder that the hangers will be slidably carried by the end portions ofthe tub, the yokes 12 being adapted to move to and from the ends of thetub. It is to be understood that the hangers may also be removed orwithdrawn from the keepers, whenever desired.

In applying the present attachment to a standard adult tub, the hangersare properly adjusted so as to accommodate the particular width of thestandard tub, and the infants bath tub 1 is then placed laterally orcross wise within the standard tub, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The curvedportions 13 of the arms 11 are adapted to contact with the rim of thestandard tub, the tubular facings 14 engaging the rim of the standardtub, to prevent the same from being scratched, marred or otherwiseinjured, and to also prevent the tub 1 from sliding longitudinally ofthe standard tub. \Vhen the infants bat-h tub is thus applied to thestandard tub, it will be apparent that the infants bath tub will projectabove the standard tub, in order that the tub 1 will be readilyaccessible. By adjusting the respective hangers 9, the tub 1 may also bemoved endwise between the sides of the tub, in order that the tub 1 maybe disposed close to the side of the standard tub at which the mother orattendant stands. The ends of the tub 1 being raised, will somewhateliminate the water from splashing from the tub 1, over the sides of thestandard tub, the front end being curved outwardly above the sides 3, asseen in Fig. 2, in order that there will be no obstruction in the way ofthe mother or attendant. Any water splashing over the sides of theinfants bath tub will fall into the standard tub. ater may be readilypoured or run into the infants bath tub, and after the infant or childhas been bathed the water may be drained from the tub 1, by raising thestopper 7. After the infants bath tub has been used, the same may belifted readily from the standard tub, and the hangers may be slidinwardly in order that the infants bath tub may be compactly stored orcarried. It is also to be observed that the hangers may serve ashandles, for carrying the infants tub. The arms 11 of the hangers 12work snugly through the corrugations 17 of the keepers, so as tofrictionally hold the hangers at any position to which they are set, itbeing noted that the curved portions 13 of the arms 11 in engaging overthe rim of the standard tub, will prevent the present device fromshifting laterally on the standard tub.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the flat inclined endsof the infants tub may fit snugly against the sides of the stand ardtub, it thus being possible to set the infants tub within certainstandard tubs, without the employment of the hangers, when desired. Theraised ends of the infants tub are also of advantage in preventing thewater from running or splashing over the ends, which ends are engaged toor disposed snugly adjoining the sides of the standard tub. Should thewater level within the infants tub rise excessively, the water wouldflow over the sides of the infants tub and directly into the standardtub. It is also to be noted that the keepers 16 will not obstruct theends of the infants tub, or the bottom thereof, which will enable theinfants tub to be set on the floor, or other surface, when desired, andwhich will also permit the infants tub to be placed within the standardtub without the hangers, and without the ends of the infants tub beingencumbered.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In adevice of the character described, an infants tub of rectangularoutline, adapted to be disposed transversely between the sides of astandard tub, the end walls of the infants tub being fiat and inclined,whereby the said ends may fit snugly against the sides of the standardtub, the end walls of the infants tub extending above the side walls,

keepers secured to the side Walls of the inmy own, I have hereto affixedmy signature fants tub adjoining the end Walls, and U- in the presenceof two Witnesses. shaped hangers adapted to surround the ends of theinfants tub and to rest on the HARRY TATE 5 rim of the standard tub, thearms of the Witnesses:

hangers being receivable by the keepers. N. C. DAWSON,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as GEO. D. ELLIOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of latentl, Washington, D. C.

